Source: Technomic | Released Dec. 4, 2013CHICAGO, Dec. 4, 2013 -- PRNewswire -- Major foodservice brands--from restaurants to retailers--have been looking for ways to capitalize on breakfast, introducing a slew of new breakfast items and retooled breakfast menus, all designed to get customers in the door in the morning.

But all this operator activity doesn't necessarily translate into restaurant traffic: most people still source breakfast from home, and only 20 percent of consumers told Technomic that they're eating breakfast away from home more often now than they were one year ago. In order to grab more share of stomach with breakfast fare, it's vital for restaurant operators to continue exploring new growth avenues.

"Opportunities to promote breakfast can extend far beyond conventional morning hours," said Darren Tristano, Executive Vice President of Technomic, Inc. "Operators looking to promote this daypart can leverage consumer interest in all-day or late-night breakfast programs. There's also room to expand brunch options, and even get creative by applying traditional breakfast flavors to non-breakfast foods."

To help foodservice executives understand the latest behaviors, preferences and attitudes of consumers regarding breakfast, Technomic has published its Breakfast Consumer Trend Report. Interesting findings include:

» Limited-service breakfast customers place high importance on value menus, breakfast sandwiches and portability, while full-service customers are most interested in variety, all-day breakfast options and signature menu offerings.
» Coffee is key: 64 percent of consumers drink coffee at breakfast; 54 percent of these consumers prefer a restaurant that offers free coffee refills, and 30 percent agree that they are loyal to concepts that serve their preferred brand of java.
» Consumers link breakfast with health: 63 percent of consumers feel it is unhealthy to skip breakfast; open-ended data shows that many consumers want more healthful breakfast options.

Technomic's Breakfast Consumer Trend Report provides comprehensive research on the latest menu and consumer trends for the breakfast daypart, organized into four major sections:

Menu Insights -- uses Technomic's exclusive MenuMonitor data to track year-over-year development of breakfast offerings on the menu at Top 500 restaurant chains.

Consumer Insights -- analyzes consumer preferences and attitudes toward breakfast, based on year-over-year findings from a nationally representative survey of 1,500 U.S. consumers.

Outlook: Trends to Watch -- explores emerging menu, concept and consumer trends that are poised to impact how restaurant operators promote the breakfast daypart in the future.

About Technomic: Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. Its services include numerous publications and digital products, as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry.

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